19th April 2013

How to Write an Explanatory Video Script

What to do if you’re stuck on how to write a script for your explanatory video

Trying to write a script for your explainer video but getting nowhere? Have no fear – we all get writers block at some point, so in addition to our post on the importance of scriptwriting, here are some tips on what you can do to kick it into gear.

Ask Your Clients
Who uses your services other than you? Your clients! Sometimes asking them for a testimonial or feedback can help highlight the benefits of your product or service. Hearing all the good things about your company can help get pen to paper, as that is exactly what you want to talk about in your explanatory video. Make sure to make it as easy as possible for your clients to answer, as they are busy too. Just sending a questionnaire can be helpful to getting some responses.

Talk About It
Record yourself simply talking about your product or service. Sometimes you need to really talk it out to understand what the important points are about your company. Ask a friend to listen and take notes of what they think is important or simply playback what you said into the recorder. This can help get rid of any extra and unnecessary information not needed in the script.

Ask Yourself: So What?
Consumers want to know – why do I need this information? You have a good product…but so what? Ask yourself that over and over again until you can succinctly tell a potential customer why this product is good for them individually. The answer to that question should be highlighted throughout your explainer video, so if you are able to answer the ‘So what’, you are well on your way.

Now Read it!
Read your script to your kids, neighbors, cubicle-mate, whoever. If a five year old can understand what is happening in your script, then you have a very clear, concise piece of work. If people are getting really confused, bored, or not following, then head back to the editing board and try to break it down a bit.

Most online video services will write the script for/with you, but sometimes it is nice to have an idea of what you want to include. You can always talk to your video production company about the script in depth before going to production.

Share the Story

About the Author

Anish hails from London and holds a degree in software engineering from the University of Manchester. Following his education, he worked for several years in the financial industry as a platform administrator before founding Revolution Productions in 2008. In addition to over seven years of video production, Anish is seen as an industry professional, adding his insight in publications such as VentureBeat, ReelSEO and Wistia.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 
Back to Top